Thursday, 5 April 2007

Koots Green Tea

Today, I'd like to introduce my favourite cafe chain in Tokyo, Koots Green Tea. Since discovering Koots tucked away in a small lane just off the road from Harajuku to Shibuya, I have stopped patronising Starbucks. The object of my stomach's affection? Koots' hot Kuromitsu Latte, which is made with molasses (brown sugar syrup) with a sprinkling of kinako powder (soybean powder with a warm nutty flavour) on top. Made with organic green tea, this supremely fragrant green tea latte is simply heavenly and perfect on a cold wintry day. Not too overly sweet like Frappucinos, it is just the right blend of steamed milk and green tea. Richer and warmer than normal green tea but never cloying or heavy. Priced at 340yen (short), 390yen (tall) and 440yen (grande), it's a tad expensive but worth every cent.

Koots also serves a selection of food for the very health conscious, which means lots of tofu, mushrooms and salads as well as a good range of onigiri (rice balls). My favourite is the Edame Cheese onigiri (200yen). I never thought cheese could go well with rice but I was happily proven wrong with this. The cheese flavour is quite mild but still lends a slightly milky aroma to the sticky rice.

So if you're travelling to Tokyo and chance by Koots, don't hesitate to check it out! Koots has outlets at Roppongi Hills, Azabujuban shopping street and Midtown Tokyo. The official website is here: http://www.koots.jp/